Love in Time
by Offbeat Romantic
Summary: Set five years after CT. Caught in a lie and nursing a freshly broken heart, Lucca goes back in time. She ends up in the year 12005BC and happens upon a pair of familiar red eyes. ON HIATUS
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer – I don't own the Chrono Trigger characters.

* * *

**Love in Time**

_/Chapter One/_

The door to the Ashtear house banged open. Walking through the doorway, Lucca loudly announced, "All men are scum."

The living room—always a mess of books, scrap metal, wires, blueprints and tools—contained a newly collaborative invention: an automated vacuum. No taller than two feet, it was shaped like an elephant with the trunk pointed to the ground, ready to devour dust and small bits of garbage. Currently, the top of its head was open, revealing a mass of wires which gave the appearance of a brain.

Her dad, Taban Ashtear, sat on his work stool before the machine. His back was hunched as he peered down at the wires and made necessary adjustments. "What have we done this time," he asked her.

Lucca slammed the door and marched over to the couch. A variety of tools cluttered the long upholstered seat. Within seconds, Lucca sent all tools clanking to the wooden floor. "Men don't know how to appreciate an intelligent woman," she answered, lying herself across the sofa.

Her dad made a move to clip a wire and then drew back his hand. He set his cap crimper down.

Lucca frowned and sat up. "Sorry, Dad. I didn't mean to distract you. Go on and finish what you're doing."

He stood and straightened himself. "No, no." His hands reached for the ceiling in a bone cracking stretch. "I needed a break." He dropped his arms to his sides and strolled to the couch where he fell into the spot next to her. "Besides, I'd much rather hear my daughter tell me why we men are the scum of the earth."

Lucca smiled sadly. "All men but you…and Crono, of course." She sighed and slumped against the couch. "Dad…" She turned her face to him. "What was it that first drew you to Mom?"

Drawing in a deep breath, Taban smiled widely. "Well, I'd have to say her eyes."

His answer resulted in Lucca rolling her eyes. "Typical," she muttered. Standing, she headed for the hallway door.

"Did I say something wrong?"

"No. You just said the truth."

She went upstairs to her room. After she shut her bedroom door, she sat in front of her vanity.

The truth. Lucca stared into her vanity's mirror and pondered the truth that stared back at her. Unremarkable hair, average nose, and common eyes behind plain brown framed glasses; these were the features which formed her ordinary face. No wonder nobody paid her a passing glance. No wonder that while Crono and Marle had tied the knot over half a year ago, she was still alone.

She would always be alone. People wanted something to dazzle them, something beautiful. While her intelligence was to be admired, it failed to dazzle. Unlike her mom's, her face stopped no guy in their tracks. Unlike Marle's soft graceful body, her trim build made no man dry in the mouth. She was once told that a man must be caught. With looks like hers, her line would always come up bare.

She rested her head on her vanity's top and sighed. A light knocking on her door disturbed her. "Lucca?" The voice belonged to her mom, Lara.

"Yes, mom?"

"Can I come in, honey?"

"Sure."

Lucca heard her door open and mom's footsteps as she entered the room. "Lucca, you're dad said you might want to talk to another female about the…dirt of the earth." The uncertainty in her mom's voice was obvious.

Lucca chuckled and lifted her head. "The scum of the earth, Mom."

"Oh." Her mom shut the door and walked over to Lucca's bed.

Lucca turned on her stool to keep her mom in sight. When her mom sat on her bed, Lucca demanded, "Why couldn't I have gotten your eyes."

Her mom blinked several times, eyelids hiding then revealing the baffled orbs that Lucca had not inherited. "My eyes?"

"Yes, your eyes." Her hand swept from her head to her knees, as she said, "Then there would have been at least one thing attractive about me."

"Oh, Lucca." Her mom's gaze grew gentle. She stood and moved to Lucca, kneeling in front of her. Her hand reached up and cupped the side of Lucca's face. "You _are_ beautiful."

Lucca's gaze fell away from her mom to the clasped hands in her lap. She spoke in a soft and wavering voice. "You're the only one who seems to think so."

Her mom's hands covered her clasped ones, and she gave them a tender squeeze. "That can't be true. What about that Reede boy, you've been spending so much time with?"

Reede? The guy with the messy brown hair and crooked smile? The guy whose voice started her stomach dancing the jig? That Reede? She didn't want to talk about him.

"You guys have been spending a lot of time together."

"Doing work."

"Oh, but you seem to get along so well. I thought—"

"He has a girlfriend!"

"I'm sorry, Lucca. I didn't mean to imply…I didn't know."

"I didn't either until today." And what a shock finding that out had been. "I had been thinking along the same lines as you, Mom," she confessed. "But I should have known better. When Reede first approached me, it was because of my intelligence. He wanted to use some of my inventions to help him in his repair business. As I taught him to use my machines and helped him with his projects, he always told me how smart I was and how he admired my genius. I knew his admiration only went as far as my mind, but…" Lucca clenched her hands. "I loved him, Mom. I really loved him." Her eyes welled with tears which in moments spilled down her cheeks.

Her mom's warm and comforting arms soon slipped around her shoulders. "It's going to be okay, Lucca. I know it hurts now, but the pain will fade." Her mom rested her chin atop of her head.

Lucca leaned against her mom, wrapping her arms around her waist. Hugging tightly, she took in her mother's warmth, her comfort, her tenderness. After several minutes, her tears subsided, but the ache in her heart remained.

"Will I ever find true love," she asked in a whisper.

"Of course you will. You've just got to be patient," her mom murmured. "Like all good things, love comes in time."

After a moment, Lucca grinned. "You do know how corny that sounds, don't you?"

Her mom pulled back from their hug and smiled down into Lucca's eyes. "As smart as you are, I'd thought you'd know that some of the truest things in life are the corniest things."

Lucca's grinned widened. "Like how a full stomach can help a broken heart."

"I've never heard that one, but I can take a hint." Her mom headed for the door. "I'll get started on dinner."

After the door shut, Lucca stood and flopped back on her bed. While her gaze focused on the ceiling, her mind's focus was elsewhere. Tomorrow, she and Reede were supposed to finish repairing a table for the Housto family. The table's top needed a good sanding and a fresh coat of paint. She needed to show Reede how to use the new sander she'd invented, the Sander 1000. But she didn't know if she could bear being in the same room with Reede now.

_I could pretend to be sick_, she reasoned. _He doesn't _need_ to use the new sander_. Even though there was no great necessity in presenting Reede with the sander the next day, she knew that he would be thrilled to see it. His eyes would lock on her in that thankful, tender way she craved. She pictured that look, and her heart clenched.

"No. Stop. Stop," she told herself, trying in vain to push the image from her mind. She tried not to think of his soft brown eyes, strong square jaw, and inviting parted lips. "Oh!" She jumped to her feet and shook her head. "I've got to distract myself."

In vain, she looked around her room for anything that would stop her from thinking of Reede. Her gaze stopped on her reflection, at the chain that peeked from beneath her collar. "Perfect."

She opened her door and jogged down the steps. "Lucca?" Her mom called from the kitchen. "Something wrong?"

"Everything's fine," she called back, coming into the living room.

Her dad was back in front of the elephant vacuum. He looked up at her as she jogged passed him. She waved and said, "I'll be back in time for dinner." Then she disappeared through the front door.

* * *

She arrived at her destination minutes later. Slowing her jog to a walk, she eventually came to a stop. She bent over, pressing her hands against her thighs as she gasped for air. When her breathing returned to normal, she declared, "I am so out of shape!"

After straightening herself, Lucca locked her eyes on the thing she'd come to see.

Hidden deep within Guardia Forsest, the Epoch glinted in the sunlight that managed to stream through the foliage of the well aged trees. Lucca had hidden the machine years ago. She, Crono, and Marle had come to the agreement that if the Epoch should be destroyed. With the world saved, there was no need for the Epoch, a machine that could be used to do great evil if in the wrong hands. She'd said she would destroy the machine, but when she went to do it, she couldn't. The Epoch contained so much technology. It would be a crime to destroy it. So she didn't.

She'd told Crono and Marle otherwise.

Knowing her friends would not share her sentiments, she hid the machine. "This is all that's left," she told them, showing them the machine's key. "And I think I'll keep it, for sentimental value." Neither friend questioned her. Why should they. She was honest and logical Lucca.

Her dishonesty bothered her, but she assured herself that she would eventually destroy the machine. After she got all the information she wanted from it.

She spent many hours in the forest, studying the Epoch, taking it apart bit by bit, and putting it back together bit by bit. She filled up books with what she learned from it, and was amazed at how much knowledge went into the making of it.

But one day she was distracted from her work by a pair of enchanting brown eyes. And in the passing of three months she all but forgot about the Epoch.

With effort she pushed those eyes from her mind and focused on the machine in front of her. "It's been awhile," she said, gliding her hand across its smooth metallic surface.

Reaching inside her shirt she pulled out the key that hung on the chain around her neck. She unlocked the Epoch, and remembrance washed over her. Crono insisted being the one to pilot the Epoch, but whenever she was part of his traveling group, she was the one in the pilot's seat. The seats lowered, and Lucca smiled, taking the seat that had always caused such a commotion between her and Crono. "No one to argue with me now," she mused, pressing the button that would take the seats up.

As the seats rose, Lucca heard a voice and her heart froze. "Yeah, I saw her headed this way. And she was running awfully fast." That was Crono.

"I hope nothing's wrong." That was Marle.

"Shoot!" She couldn't let them see the Epoch. She shoved the key into the ignition and quickly turned it. Just as quickly she pulled the lever that would send her hurtling through time, not caring what coordinates it was set to. All she cared about was moving the machine before Crono and Marle came upon her.

But as the Epoch powered up for the shift in time, Marle and Crono ambled into the clearing. Their eyes fastened to the Epoch, to the driver in its seat. For a moment, as Lucca stared back, her world stood still. Then Epoch sent her plunging back in time.


	2. Chapter 2

**Love in Time**

_/Chapter Two/_

The wind howled loudly, disturbing the falling snow by twisting and twirling the flakes. The sky from which the snow fell was blanketed by a thick layer of clouds—grey and gloomy. The land to which the snow fell was covered by billions upon billions of flakes. The landscape was just a big blanket of grey and white from top to bottom. A frozen winter wonderland, and staring at it, Lucca couldn't help but shiver.

"When in Frosty's name am I?" Tearing her gaze from the bitter landscape, she focused on the Epoch's time-gauge. 12005 B.C. "Oh."

Her gaze returned to the icy terrain, and she couldn't fight the growing sense that she'd been stupid. Instead of facing up to what she'd done, she ran. This made it the second time that she'd run away today; though she had to admit, running away through time was a bit much.

She slumped back in her seat and said, "I should probably head back now." She remained slouched instead. "It would be a shame, though, to just leave without a quick look around." She straightened. "It's been five years since the fall of Zeal. That's more than enough time for some advancement in civilization. There's got to be some towns by now and a new government, however shaky it may be."

As appealing as checking out this age sounded, there was a side of Lucca that knew better—the logical side. To snoop around this era meant to shift time. Still…"It would be a real shame to head home without checking out any of this." And hadn't she, Crono, and Marle changed time already? And for the better? Plus, what harm could one woman do by popping her head into the local eatery—if they had one—and asking a few questions? None.

Besides, she really wasn't ready to stop running.

"It's decided," she declared and switched the Epoch into flight mode. Then she flew off, tossing caution for the timeline to the bitter wind.

* * *

Magus sat beneath a barren tree, leaning against its jagged trunk. He fingered the accessory hung around his neck and thought of his sister; her smiling face; her gentle voice. "Schala." The name escaped him as a whisper, and he completely engulfed the pendant with his hand.

When he came to this era, he did not know if he would find his sister, but he had a feeling. The feeling led him to his first clue in finding her: her pendant. But that had been five years ago. During that whole time, he never took off her pendant. He wore it everyday, and waited—just like he'd promised to. But five years was a long time, and his patience had long run dry. He needed to find a way to Schala on his own, but to do so, he needed to get out of this time.

"Hey, Magus!" The familiar and annoying voice of Khalil Woodward pierced Magus' thoughts. Magus did not bother looking up at the blue eyed man who always wore his short black hair in a ponytail. Khalil plopped next to him in the snow, and though Magus didn't see it, he knew a sickeningly wide smile was spread across the man's face. "The second shift's almost done, and lunch'll be ready soon. Sure is pretty out here, but how can you sit out here so long? It's cold!" The words spilled from Khalil's mouth as a fast-paced ramble.

Magus gritted his teeth. The bone chilling silence of the snow was better than the asinine prattle of Khalil any day. And since the man insisted on attaching himself to Magus' hip whenever Khalil wasn't being put to work, Magus often slipped out of town to the small gathering of trees that grew a quarter of a mile away.

When Magus made no response, Khalil continued talking. "It keeps snowing less and less. And the snowfall keeps getting lighter and lighter. What do you think the world will be like if the snow just stops?"

Silence followed Khalil's question, and in it, Magus heard a strangely familiar sound: a soft whoosh mingled with the hum of an engine. A memory flashed through his mind of two of his former traveling companions. The two argued about whose turn it was to drive. The machine they argued about shone clearly in his mind. Magus stood. "Epoch."

"What?"

He looked down at Khalil, desperately needing the man to go away, so he could investigate the sound. "Khalil, go see if they need any help in the dining grounds."

"Oh, I'm sure they don't. Akina—"

"Will be glad for your help." Kneeling next to Khalil, Magus dropped an arm around his shoulders and murmured in his ear. "You wouldn't want to leave Akina to depend on some other young man, right? You've noticed the way Alan's been eyeing her, haven't you?"

Khalil gasped. "What!" Pulling free from Magus, he stumbled toward the town. "We can talk later," he called back to Magus with a wave. "I've got to help Akina." Suddenly he stopped. "Don't be late to lunch, today! Akina and I will save you a seat!" He then turned and ran.

Magus smirked and faced the direction the sound had come from.

* * *

Lucca landed the Epoch just outside the small wooded area. The snow wasn't falling as hard here, but there was no doubt in her mind about the landscape's bitter temperature. Leaving for this era as she did, she was not properly clothed for the weather. Luckily, she'd left an extra coat in the Epoch. She donned the coat and took a deep breath before exiting the time machine.

The air outside was colder than she'd anticipated, and it hit her like a mallet to the face. "So cold," she hissed through clenched teeth. Momentarily, she found herself wishing to face Crono and Marle rather than the weather. This desire quickly died, and she trudged in the direction of the town she'd seen while in Epoch's flight mode.

As the snow crunched beneath her shoes, she was reminded of her climb up Mt. Woe. So many mystics had been living on those floating slabs of land. Then she, Crono, and Marle defeated the mystic whose power kept the chained slabs afloat. _How many survived the crash into the sea_, she wondered. _And where are those survivors living now_?

Mt. Woe's mystics hadn't been particularly friendly, but there was no doubt they were ancestors to the mystics in her time. Thinking of them, Lucca wondered if the friendliness they possessed would shine through in the surviving mystics of this time. "That would be very interesting," she muttered. "Perhaps the mystics and humans befriend each other, and by working together, both species are able to endure this era." Stopping, she nodded her head. "That would definitely be worth seeing."

A shadow caused by an unidentified being fell over Lucca and her positive thoughts darkened. _Or what if the mystics survived by feeding on human flesh_! Turning swiftly, Lucca jumped back and readied herself for an attack. But upon seeing who'd appeared behind her, her eyes widened, and the spell that had been on her lips stopped. "Magus?"

The formally antagonistic mage was dressed differently than when he'd departed five years ago. Instead of sporting the colorful garbs so suitable for 600 A.D., he now wore slacks, boots, gloves, and a parka that were made of animal hide and uniform in color: tan. He looked so different, but she knew it was him by his ruby red eyes and stray wisps of blue hair that spilled out of his hood.

Staring at his eyes, Lucca saw in them Magus' trademark look of distaste. "You know," she clipped, "it's not nice to sneak up behind people."

"Are you alone," he asked. His eyes sized her up.

Lucca tensed. "What does that matter?" Instead of answering, Magus walked toward her, slowly, calculatingly. He towered over her once more, a whole head taller than she. He was trying to intimidate her. Lucca stuck out her chin and stood her ground. She wouldn't let him.

"Where's Crono?"

"He isn't here."

"So you are alone."

In an attempt to both appear defiant and warm herself, Lucca crossed her arms. "Yeah."

"Then I'll ask you this once," he said. "Let me borrow the Epoch."

Lucca was taken aback. "Borrow the Epoch? What for…oh." Schala. Magus had chosen to return to this era, believing Schala found a way to escape the Ocean Palace after his younger self and the three Guru were sent hurtling through time. Her eyes softened. "She wasn't here, was she?"

Magus glared. "That's no concern of yours."

"No concern of mine?" Lucca lifted a brow. "You want to borrow _my_ time machine and say what you want to use it for is no concern of mine?"

Magus leaned his face closer, his nose almost brushing against hers. "I told you I would only ask once."

Lucca rolled her eyes and stepped back. "You know, that tough guy act of yours worked a lot better back when you were evil." She linked her hands behind her head and turned, ignoring the growl this move elicited. "But hey, if you want to take the Epoch, no one's stopping you. It's back there somewhere. Go hop in."

"If I remember correctly, the machine requires a key. Hand it over."

"My, my. Someone has a good memory." She continued walking. "But I'm hungry right now, so all talk about the Epoch will have to wait until I've eaten." She turned her face to the side and glanced back at the blue haired man. He stood where she had left him—eyes once more holding that look of distaste. She frowned. Did all men have to look at her that way?

Shaking her head, she looked forward. What was she saying? This was Magus! He looked at everyone like that. More importantly, she didn't want him looking at her the way she'd wanted Ree—

_No, I'm not going to think of him_, she fiercely thought. To Magus, she shouted, "Hurry up. I'm going to need you to show me where to grab some grub around here."


	3. Chapter 3

**Love in Time**

_/Chapter Three/_

Two men stood at the front of the village, wooden staffs in hand. When Lucca and Magus walked by, they greeted Magus with a warm smile and a curt nod. To her, they threw curious glances. "Don't get visitors often," she asked Magus.

"No."

_So much for conversation_, Lucca thought as she glanced at her surroundings. Five years had passed and already the village had upgraded its housing from tepees to cob houses. From the looks of it, no one seemed to be home. The houses they passed were void of noise of any kind. In her home, Lucca could imagine the familiar racket of her Dad working on a machine and her mom's soft voice singing as she mended trousers, cooked a meal, or performed some other task of loving care.

Stopping to examine one of the houses, Lucca asked, "Where is everyone?"

The sound of feet treading on frozen grass stopped, and Lucca vaguely wondered when the ever gliding Magus had decided to join the rest of humanity in walking. "Lunch."

Lucca's stomach grumbled. Lunch sounded like a good idea, though her mother's dinner would have been much better, but no, she wasn't ready to head back just yet, especially when confronted with such an interesting enigma. She ran her gloved hand over the firm stucco of the house. "How," she asked with a glance at Magus, "is this house holding up? In this environment, it shouldn't be possible." She stepped back and looked at the roof. "And how is it that there's no snow on this roof." She looked at the houses around her. "Or any other roof." Magus did not answer. She turned to face him. "Well?"

"We will be late for lunch," he said. She suddenly found herself facing his back as he walked away.

"Hold on a minute." She strode up to him. "These houses shouldn't be here. Like I said, it's impossible."

In a surprising move, the ends of Magus' lips lifted. "You believe in miracles, do you not?"

Lucca nodded. "Sure I do. But this is no miracle." She moved in front of Magus and stopped. He stopped and looked stolidly down at her.

"Is there some point you're trying to make?"

"Magus, you're messing up the timeline."

He snorted, and mirth filled his eyes. "You can't be serious, not with everything that you and your friends have already done to the timeline." He stepped passed her. "And not with how you're visit to this era will affect it."

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with one woman stopping in a town for lunch, but what you're doing here is…Why are you doing this?" She turned an incredulous stare on him. He didn't bother to look at her, and for some reason that irked her. "Magus."

He stopped. "Seems we're just in time."

Lucca looked forward and found a small clearing. Wooden tables surrounded by wooden chairs filled the area. People filled nearly every seat, talking and laughing as they passed plates and bowls of food. Watching them load up their plates made Lucca's stomach growl.

"Hungry," Magus asked. She was almost sure he was smirking, but her eyes were not on his lips.

"Your doing?" She spoke of the large fire, blazing at the center of the clearing. The fire stood about a foot shorter than her, she observed. A cooking station was set up close to it. The metal kitchenware reflected the blue flames. "Magus—"

"There you are!" A blue eyed man ran up to them, throwing both his arms around Magus' right one. "I told Akina you would be late, but she said you'd be right on time, and you are." He bounced as he spoke, his black ponytail shifting left and right. His hold on Magus was loving and slightly possessive.

Lucca lifted a brow and smiled slyly. "A _friend_ of yours?"

Magus, who had looked slightly annoyed upon the man's arrival, flared. "Watch you're mouth." His tone was sharp and dangerous. Lucca laughed.

The blue eyed man looked at her then, as if just realizing her presence. His mouth dropped open, his eyes widened, and he released Magus' arm. "Who are you," he asked. But he did not give her a chance to answer. Moving in front of her, he snatched her hand. "I'm Khalil. Khalil Woodward. Isn't that a nice name? I think so too. Especially the Woodward part." He gave her hand several excited shakes before releasing it. "What did you say you're name was?"

Bowled over by Khalil's larger than life personality, Lucca could but blink. "I…uh…didn't."

Khalil didn't seem to care. He turned to Magus with new questions. "Do you know her? Where'd she come from? Is she your woman?"

Now Lucca flared. "His what!"

Khalil looked at her like she should know what he meant. "Woman. You know, girlfriend or wife." He leaned in close to Lucca and whispered, "I'm going to make Akina my wife one day, but don't tell her I said that."

Lucca did not know how to react to this. She glanced at Magus and found him rubbing his temples. Dropping his hands, Magus spoke in a slow grating tone. "Khalil, perhaps we should go eat." Khalil smiled widely and nodded.

They sat at the end of one of the tables, Khalil next to Akina, Magus across from them. An extra seat was secured for Lucca and placed at Magus' right. The food loaded on Lucca's plate looked strange but smelled good. She shoveled a forkful into her mouth and discovered it tasted good. Satisfied with the taste, she decided not to ruin her meal by asking what she was eating.

Across from her, Akina spoke her name. The woman had long blue hair kept in a braid and grey-blue eyes. Her voice was soft. "Do you remember me," Akina asked.

Remember? Being born thousands of years in the future, there was no way Lucca could remember this woman. Yet she did. Her face was familiar, catalogued somewhere in Lucca's memory, though Lucca couldn't recall who this woman was or how she could possibly know her.

"You and you're friends advised me not to burn a sapling I was given. You told me to plant it. Remember?"

Lucca gasped, pointing her fork at Akina. "Oh yeah, I remember you now." She shoveled another forkful into her mouth and asked, "Did dyou ever pland it?" Next to her, Magus muttered something about the manners. Lucca just waved him off and took a long swig of water.

"I did," Akina answered. "It's planted a not far from our town. I wasn't too sure what it was at first, but it's a tree." She looked to the young man at her right. "Khalil and I have taken the seeds it gives off and are growing some more. It's almost like we have a tree garden."

Khalil blushed and shook his head. "No, I don't really do anything but keep Akina company." He looked at Lucca. "So what's your last name?"

Well that was an abrupt change of subject. What was with this guy and names? "It's Ashtear."

"Hmm, that's a pretty name," Khalil said. "But it sounds sad."

Her forkful of food stopped in front of her mouth. "Really?" She'd never thought much about her last name, but now that Khalil had mentioned it, her name did sound kind of sad. Ash. Tear. Those were words she linked to tragedy and disaster. "I guess you're right." She closed her mouth over her fork.

And then she almost choked. "MAGUS!" One of the guards from the town's front came running into the clearing, shouting Magus' name at the top of his lungs and startling nearly everyone eating. Magus stood and faced the man who was bent over, gasping for air. "Mystics—" the man gasped. "Mystics headed—this way."


	4. Chapter 4

**Love in Time**

_/Chapter Four/_

Magus led the group of men, who he'd quickly rallied, to the front of the village. The watchman had said a group of fifteen or more mystics were headed their way. Magus knew he could handle the mystics alone, but the men needed more battle experience, especially if they were going to protect the village when he left. He would stand back and watch this time, only stepping in to help those who found themselves about to face Death's scythe.

"How often do these attacks occur," Lucca asked.

For a splendorous moment, he'd forgotten that Lucca walked at his side, keeping up with his brisk pace. "Why are you still here?" He'd told her to stay behind with Khalil; he didn't need her messing his men up during battle with her spells. But then he should have remembered the one thing Lucca wasn't good at was taking orders.

Lucca ignored his not so subtle hint that she wasn't wanted here and said, "I count eighteen."

They'd reached the village front, and the oncoming mystics were a half a mile away. "It's nineteen," Magus corrected. To his men, he shouted, "We're going to do maneuver seven!"

"What's maneuver seven," Lucca asked

"Never mind." Magus grabbed her arm. "You're coming with me."

To his surprise, she didn't fight him and allowed herself be pulled behind the men who were forming a half circle in front of the village. The men slowly advanced forward, pikes and clubs tightly gripped in hands, ready to kill. "You're going to let them fight on their own?"

Magus' hold on her tightened. "Yes, and I want you to stay back." Lucca and her friends loved meddling in other's affairs, spouting nonsense about protecting those weaker than you. He wouldn't let her do that here. If the weak never fought, they wouldn't learn to be strong.

"Fine." She shook her arm free of him. Keeping up with his advancing steps, she peered at the oncoming Mystics. "Glad you at least let them fight for themselves."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"What do you think? Those houses, that fire; you're coddling these people."

"I'm what?"

"You're—hey. I think they're chasing that one in the front."

Magus' gaze moved from her to the oncoming Mystics. She was right. A group of Gargoyles, tailed by Bantam imps, were pursuing a lone Gargoyle at the front. The pursued Gargoyle ran frantically, face displaying genuine fear. "Strange," Magus admitted. "But this should make things easier."

Lucca's jaw set in a familiar determination that irked Magus. "What do you mean, make things easier?"

Magus chose not to respond, and before Lucca could demand an answer, Alan, still facing the oncoming threat, jogged backward to Magus. "Magus," he said, "that Mystic is shouting for help."

"Ignore him, and continue with our attack." Glancing at his men, he could see they appeared as unsure as Alan. There was no room for doubt in a battle, and the Mystics were almost upon them. "Continue with maneuver seven!" As he'd hoped, his voice sent reassurance rippling through the group, and Alan jogged on ahead, resolve shining on his face. Magus relaxed.

Suddenly, Lucca shot past him, shouting, "Don't harm the Gargoyle at the center!"

Magus didn't need to look at his men to feel the confusion that pulsed in them. He ran after Lucca, reaching her as she reached the Gargoyle. The Gargoyle's eyes flicked from Lucca to Magus, then back again. "Help me!" And he latched onto Lucca's arm.

Great. Just great. "Get back," Magus snarled, stepping in front of the two. With a glance back at the Gargoyle, Magus said, "I'll deal with you when I'm done with them." He then jogged toward the Mystics, joining his men in battle.

Magus went for the closest Mystic to him, another Gargoyle. This one seemed somewhat older than the rest, her golden skin was dulled and dusky green wings looked brittle. She blocked his kick with a limber arm, which swelled with power and repelled his attack. She jumped back with swift ease, and Magus knew that she had not allowed age to deteriorate her body.

Magus attacked again. Again, she blocked and jumped back. "We do not wish to fight." A quick look around proved her correct. Her Mystics were doing the same as her, blocking and dodging. None attacked. Magus stood down, and shouted for his men to do the same.

Mystics and men separated. The men remained ready to attack, the mystics to defend.

"Why are you here," Magus demanded.

The female nodded to the Gargoyle locked to Lucca's arm. "Him."

Lucca, watching them watch her, slid a protective arm around the Gargoyle's shoulder. Her eyes narrowed, daring either of them to endanger her charge. Magus cursed. "What has he done?"

"What does that matter? He is not your kind."

Magus couldn't agree more, but he doubted Lucca would. "It matters, because it seems you're ready to slaughter someone who can't defend himself."

"Such an altruistic sentiments," the Gargoyle sneered. "It's a wonder you've kept this village secure for so long." She jerked her head to the side, the movement seemingly a signal for the Mystics to fall back, for that's what they did. She peered sideways at him. "You may keep him, sorcerer. But be sure, you're village won't last much longer if you continue to cling to such weak-minded beliefs."

Alan approached him, when the female Gargoyle had departed. "What was that about?"

Magus frowned and looked at the Gargoyle hanging on Lucca's arm. "I wonder."

* * *

**A/N** - This chapter was shorter than the others, and I'm sorry for that, but the plot is picking up, so the next chap will be longer and sure to contain some Lucca/Magus head butting.

Also, a big thanks to everyone who's reviewed, favorited, and alerted.


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